Mass production of mercury-free batteries began in 2005 and, 10 years later, the European Commission banned the use of any mercury in all button cell batteries from 1st October 2015, acknowledging in a 2012 report that “Mercury (Hg) and most of its compounds are highly toxic to humans, ecosystems and wildlife”. Acquired from Sony in 2017, the factory has been focused on developing silver oxide battery technology since the late 70s. The discovery was enabled by decades of research by scientists at Murata’s ISO9001/ISO14001 approved micro battery factory in Japan. That’s why the introduction of the first mercury-free battery in 2004 was nothing short of a miracle. Yet, for a long time, it was thought to be impossible to achieve. It is particularly harmful to pregnant women, as it can pass through the placenta onto the fetus and result in various health issues, including learning difficulties.Īs the above examples illustrate, the industry had a lot to gain by eliminating mercury from batteries. Mercury is a neurotoxin: it damages nerves and can be quickly distributed throughout the body to different organs, including the brain. From there, it enters animals, such as fish, and eventually, the human food chain. This is a problem because mercury is a Persistent, Bioaccumalative, Toxic substance (PBT) it stays in the environment for a long time, moving between air and soil in different forms. Unless disposed of properly, the batteries end up in a landfill site or get incinerated, allowing the mercury to escape into the environment. However, there are several environmental and health & safety concerns associated with it. It helps prevent the build-up of internal gases, which could cause the battery to break and leak. ![]() Mercury has traditionally been included in button cell batteries used to power a wide range of devices that need long battery life, such as watches. Here, we look back at how the invention of mercury-free silver oxide batteries revolutionised safety and explores future applications for this technology. Yet only 16 years ago, it was impossible to manufacture mercury-free batteries, which meant that all watches contained the toxic chemical. ![]() Safety doesn’t factor into these considerations – we take it for granted. Stylish, sporty, accurate: for most consumers, these features are on their mind when choosing their timepiece. Watches are still a common sight on many wrists. Neutralising the ticking time bomb: eliminating mercury from watch batteries
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